Tandem container assemblies



May 27, 1958 5.1.. ROBINSON Y 2,836,323

TANDEM CONTAINER ASSEMBLIES Filed June 22, '195e A/jg \ i l I l i x 1 t l l l Il Unitd States Pate TANDEM CNTAENER ASSEMBLIES Sarah L. Robinson, Sapulpa, kla.

Application .lune 22, 1956, Serial No. 593,106

3 Cimms. (Cl. 2213-4) The present invention relates to tandem container assemblies, and more particularly to such assemblies in which a pair of containers may be held together rigidly in tandem relationship for transportation.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a tandem container assembly adapted to hold a pair of containers rigidly together in tandem relationship for transportation.

Another object of the invention is the provision of a tandem container assembly which will be extremely compact.

Still another object of the invention is the provision of a tandem container assembly which will cooperate to maintain at least one of the containers closed.

The invention also contemplates the provision of a tandem container assembly which will be quickly and easily assembled and disassembled.

Finally, the invention also contemplates the provision oi a tandem container assembly which will be simple and inexpensive to manufacture, convenient to use, and rugged and durable.

Other objects and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from a consideration of the following specication, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawing, in which:

Figure 1 is an elevational view of a tandem container assembly according to my invention and showing the relationship of the parts thereof;

Figure 2 is an elevational exploded assembly View of the cover and inner container of my novel tandem container assembly; and

Figure 3 is a bottom view of the inner container.

Referring now to the drawings in greater detail, there is shown a tandem container assembly indicated generally at 1 and comprising in combination a pair of generally cylindrical containers 3 and 5 which may be in the form of Thermos bottles or jars or the like. Containers 3 and 5 have reduced throat portions 7 and 9, respectively, and enlarged body portions 11 and 13, respectively. Container 3 has external screw threads 15 on throat portion 7 thereof; and container 5 has external screw threads 17 on body portion 13 thereof, but adjacent throat portion 9 thereof, which is to say near the top of container 5.

A generally cylindrical cover 19 is provided, which has a generally cylindrical, closed, reduced inner end 21 and a generally cylindrical, enlarged body portion 23 terminating in an open outer end 25 opposite closed inner end 21. Reduced inner end 21 is provided with internal screw threads 27 complementary to screw threads 1S on throat portion 7 of container 3; and open outer end 25 is provided with internal screw threads 29 complementary to screw threads 17 on enlarged body portion 13 of container 5.

In assembly, screw threads are engaged with screw threads 27 to hold container 3 entirely Within cover 19; and screw threads 17 are engaged with screw threads 29 to hold only the upper end of container 5 within cover 19. In assembled relationship, containers 3 and 5 and cover 19 are coaxial.

The engagement and disengagement of container 3 with and from cover 19 would be rather difficult, were it not for the fact that container 3 has on its bottom a plurality of axially extending ears 31 for engaging and disengaging container 3 and cover 19. Ears 31 are designed for engagement with the fingers of the user and are in the form of a pair of perpendicular diametral webs, as seen by comparison of Figures l and 2 with Figure 3. These webs are recessed toward container 3 adjacent their central portions so that ears 31 are disposed radially outwardly of and axially overlap throat portion 9 of container 5. This arrangement has the double advantage of locating ears 31 as tar outwardly as possible for better leverage from the lingers of the user, and of permitting throat portion 9 of container 5 to nest in the recesses of the webs bearing ears 31 thereby to eect a reduction in the overall length of assembly 1.

Containers 3 and 5 are of course provided with detachable closure members; but it should be particularly noted that the detachable closure member 33 of container 3 rests on the upper surface of throat portion 7 and is nested snugly in closed inner end 21 of cover 19 and is held rmly between closed end 21 and throat portion 7, so that engagement of screw threads 15 with screw threads 27 serves the double purpose or" holding cover 19 and container 3 together, and of holding closure member 33 iirmly closed on container 3.

Although the present invention has been described in conjunction with preferred embodiments, it is to be understood that modifications and variations may be resorted to without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention, as those skilled in the art will readily understand. Such modications and variations are considered to be Within the purview and scope of the invention and appended claims.

l claim:

1. A tandem container assembly comprising in combination a pair of generally cylindrical containers having a reduced throat portion and an enlarged body portion, one of said Acontainers having screw threads on its throat portion and the other of said containers having screw threads on its body portion, and a generally cylindrical unitary cover having a closed, reduced inner end and an enlarged body portion terminating in an open outer end, said cover having internal screw threads on its reduced inner end complementary to the screw threads on the throat of said one container whereby said one container is detachably retained entirely within said cover, and said cover having internal screw threads on its outer end disposed beyond the bottom of said one container and complementary to the screw threads on the body portion of said other container whereby said other container is detachably retained within the open end of said cover, said containers and cover being coaxial.

2. The invention of claim l, said one container having on its bottom a plurality of axially extending ears for engaging or disengagin-g said one container and said cover, said ears being disposed radially outwardly of and axially overlapping the throat portion of said other container.

3. The invention of claim l, said one container having a detachable closure member for its throat held irmly between its throat and the closed end of said cover.

References Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,004,926 Steel Oct. 3, 1911 2,024,741 Osterman Dec. 17, 1935 2,077,219 Conner Apr. 13, 1937 2,101,281 Porter Dec. 7, 1937 2,347,670 Devine May 2, 1944 2,412,833 Prager Dec. 17, 1946 2,462,461 Bird Feb. 22, 1949 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CERTIFICATION OF CORRECTION Patent, Nef 836x323 May 2'@ 195s Sarah L., Robinson It is hereby certified that error appears in the above numbered patent requiring Correction and that the said Letters Patent should read as corrected below'.

Column l, line 48, for "Thermos" read n@ vacuum @me Signed and sealed this 27th day of June l96l (SEAL) Attest:

ERNEST W. SWIDER I DAVID L. LADD Attesting Officer Commissioner of Patents 

